Finding Strength in Recovery: Ashley’s Story
Ashley didn’t always see her drinking as a problem. Like many people, alcohol had gradually become part of everyday life. What started as a routine habit slowly became something she relied on. Looking back, she can now see the signs, but at the time it was much harder to recognise.
“I was drinking every day, not excessively, but it was every day,” she says.
Ashley first accessed support from NRN around a year before fully committing to recovery. At that stage, she admits she was not ready to acknowledge the extent of her alcohol use and struggled to engage with treatment. However, after a series of personal challenges in her life, she realised something had to change.
Her health deteriorated, she began experiencing withdrawal symptoms such as sickness and tremors, and she found herself trapped in a cycle of drinking to avoid feeling unwell. At the same time, she was navigating relationship difficulties and caring for her two young children.
The turning point came when she recognised that alcohol was no longer something she could control. For Ashley, thoughts of her children became a powerful motivator. She knew she wanted a different future, both for herself and for them.
After completing a hospital detox, she walked straight through NRN’s doors seeking support. “I need help. Get me back in,” she remembers telling the team. What followed has been a journey of rebuilding. Not just stopping drinking, but learning how to live without using alcohol as a coping mechanism.
One of Ashley’s biggest challenges in recovery was learning how to navigate everyday situations that had become closely linked to drinking. Things that many people would not think twice about suddenly felt very different. Cooking dinner, for example, had always gone hand in hand with a glass of wine. Watching sport at the pub was another trigger. Ashley realised that certain routines and environments had become deeply associated with alcohol over the years, and she had to find new ways of enjoying them without drinking.
The biggest surprise, however, was the flood of emotions that returned once alcohol was no longer there to numb them. “People often talk about giving up alcohol”, Ashley says, “but not enough people talk about what comes afterwards”. The anxiety, sadness, frustration and uncertainty that alcohol once masked can feel overwhelming when they surface all at once.
Through 1:1 support, NRN’s community rehab programme, and support groups, she began developing healthier ways to manage those feelings. Courses focused on emotional resilience and anxiety management gave her practical tools she could use when life felt difficult. Initially, Ashley was sceptical about attending group sessions. “I never thought I’d go to groups at all,” she says with a laugh. But connecting with people who genuinely understood what she was going through proved to be one of the most valuable parts of her recovery. The friendships, encouragement and accountability she found helped her feel less alone.
Ashley has also experienced some of the stigma that can come with being open about struggles with alcohol. While she understands that friends and family want to protect her, there have been times when people have chosen not to invite her to events where alcohol might be present – and that has sometimes felt difficult. Recovery is about learning to make difficult choices, and she believes there is a difference between support and exclusion. She wants people to understand that someone is much more than their relationship with alcohol. “There is a lot more to me than alcohol,” she reflects.
Her recovery has not been without challenges. Along the way she has faced housing uncertainty, family difficulties, court proceedings and some painful personal setbacks. Yet she continued to show up, week after week, determined to keep moving forward.
Today, Ashley speaks with pride about how far she has come. She has completed multiple recovery programmes, is preparing to become a peer mentor, and hopes to volunteer so she can support others facing similar challenges. She is also looking forward to completing her university degree and pursuing a career in counselling.
Perhaps most importantly, she has rediscovered confidence in herself. “It’s not as scary as you think,” she says, reflecting on the moment she reached out for help. Her advice to anyone worried about their own alcohol use is simple: take that first step.
Ashley’s story is proof that with patience and resilience, change is possible. As she continues building the future she wants, she hopes her experience will encourage others to ask for support sooner rather than later. Because sometimes the hardest step is the first one. And sometimes, it is also the most important.
